Pakistan elected as Chair of United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs

Pakistan elected as Chair of United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (UNCND).

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Vienna, Ambassador Mansoor Ahmad Khan has been elected as the Chair of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) for its 63rd session for the year 2020.

The office of the spokesperson for the Foreign Office declared it a vote of international community’s confidence in Pakistan.

According to the FO’s press release on Saturday, Pakistan’s unanimous election reflects another vote of confidence in Pakistan’s leadership and its important role in the global policy discourse on the world drug problem.

Following its election as the Chair, Pakistan would steer the Commission through dialogue and cooperation with all the stakeholders.  Furthermore, the dialogue aims at addressing challenges related to narcotic drugs by a balanced, comprehensive and evidence-based approach.

Moreover, Vienna-based Commission is the governing body of the UNODC.  Notably, it is main policy making entity  on world drug problem for implementing the UN drug control conventions.

In May, 2019, the body elected Pakistan as Member of the Commission for a four-year term. However, that term will start from 1 January 2020.

However, Pakistan has served on the Commission for four decades since its establishment.